Inside The Bills

We took the show on the road for tonight’s show, right down the street to Shooters Sports Bar & Grill in Fairport. http://www.shootersny.com/ A good turnout gave us a chance to connect with the fans and get their opinions and questions for this year’s Bills team. We had plenty of visitors throughout the night.

Our first guest was defensive end Jerry Hughes. Hughes had a breakout year last season, his first as a Bill after being traded from Indianapolis. He talked about how he’s been put in a position to make plays and “create havoc.” He said coming to Buffalo for him is not considered a fresh start.

“I feel like it was a start, honestly. I really didn’t get an opportunity to get on the field as much as I would have liked to in Indy, but last year I felt like it was the start to be completely honest…I just really wanted to get on the field and I know they told me I was going to get the opportunity to do so. When I saw my opportunities, I have to make the most of them.

Hughes also talked about the success as a whole for the defensive. He gave a lot of credit to a young but talented defensive backfield who force quarterbacks to look down to their second and third reads, which in-turn gives players like Hughes and the rest of the defensive line more time to apply pressure on the QB.

At the top of the hour we were joined on-site by offensive line coach Pat Morris. There has been shuffling along the offensive front during training camp and with the season opener now just two weeks away, Morris is confident they will solidify the o-line when they travel to Chicago.

“You want to go in and you want to feel confident that you have the best five guys that have worked and are competitors, that are tough, will go out there and protect the quarterback, and run the football. That’s the key, just because someone has been next to somebody and there’s a better guy on the bench, you can’t do that to yourself. It’s not fair to the team and I think that’s what we’re looking at.”

Morris also commented on the depth of the offensive line and mentioned specifically the added size they brought in during the offseason, including seventh round pick Seantrel Henderson who Morris said “has the desire and the love for football.”

Finally, with the Bills close to approaching their home debut we were joined on the line by Chief Marketing Officer Marc Honan. Honan talked about the recent renovations to Ralph Wilson Stadium. He mentioned the new concession stands and the “super gates” to allow quicker and more efficient entry into the stadium. One of the more noticeable projects taking place deals with the three new scoreboards, which will feature more information from around the league and plenty of highlights. He also mentioned the brand new Bills Store, which is the focal point as you enter Ralph Wilson Stadium.

To hear more from Honan and the rest of The John Murphy Show, click below.